American Bullfrog

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Description: The American Bullfrog is the largest frog in North America. It can grow to nearly eight inches in length and can weigh more than 1.5 pounds. Females are generally larger than males. The American Bullfrog is green, olive, or brown in coloration, with lighter underparts. They have conspicuous circular eardrums located on the sides of their heads. Its powerful legs enable it to jump distances of up to six feet. The bullfrog is more often heard than seen. Males emit a deep “jack-o-rum” call that can resonate from a water source day and night and can be heard from great distances (up to a quarter of a mile). A bullfrog can live up to nine years in the wild. Bullfrogs hibernate in the winter.

Habitat/Range: The wide-ranging American Bullfrog is common through southern Canada, the continental United States east of the Rocky Mountains and northern Mexico (it has been introduced to California and parts of Europe). It is found in freshwater ponds, marshes, and lakes. In places where it has been introduced, it is considered an invasive species that often drives away native species.

Diet: The American Bullfrog is one of nature’s most voracious eaters. It will eat anything it can fit in its mouth including insects, mice, small birds, and snakes.

Breeding: Female bullfrogs will lay up to 20,000 eggs in stagnant or slow-moving water. It takes between one and two years before the tadpoles mature into adults.